1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a surgical instrument and method for tissue removal. More specifically, the present invention relates to a surgical instrument and method for performing the removal of either palatine and pharyngeal types of tonsils, and even more particularly, the latter type of tonsils, which is commonly referred to as adenoids.
2. Description of Related Technology
As seen in FIG. 1, tonsils (T) and adenoids (A) are a masses of lymphoid tissue generally found in the oral and nasal cavities (Co, Cn) respectively. The tonsils are a set of tissue located on both sides at the back of the throat. Adenoids, on the other hand, comprise a single clump of tissue that is not directly visible from outside the mouth. The adenoids are located rearward of the nasal cavity and above the soft palate, generally where the nasal cavity merges with the throat.
Both tonsils and adenoids are subject to infection, particularly in children. When infected, the enlarged tissue may impair breathing through the nose, cause snoring, cause retention of fluid (and, therefore, infection of the ears (caused by the adenoids)), cause accumulation of nasal secretions (and, therefore, sinus infections (caused by the adenoids), and cause difficulty in swallowing and breathing (caused by the tonsils). Since neither tissue has been observed to serve an immunological or other function in adulthood, when infections are common and recurring, one preferred treatment is the surgical removal of the tissue, which is called either an adenoidectomy or a tonsillectomy.
Common methods for removing the adenoids and tonsils include utilization of a curette, forceps or an electrocautery device. A curette is a surgical instrument having a spoon or otherwise shaped end that is used to scrape and remove the desired tissue. With an electrocautery device, radio-frequency energy is applied to tissue, heating the water in the local tissues, thereby weakening the tissue, allowing mechanical scraping removal and simultaneous cauterizing of removal site to reduce or stop bleeding.
Of the two procedures, some physicians prefer electrocautery since it minimizes the bleeding associated with removal of the tissue. However, current instruments for electrocautery are not specifically designed for rapid removal of either the tonsils or the adenoids.